The historical tale of the 47 Ronin is a touchstone of courage and honor in Japanese culture, celebrated in numerous plays and performances and depicted in drawings and prints for more than 300 years. Left masterless after their lord Asano Naganori was forced to commit seppuku by a court official named Kira, his former samurai formed a revenge pact. They overwhelmed Kira's men and found him cowering, then took his head to their master's grave, knowing that each of them would likely have to kill himself as well. This compact album collects 47 such works inspired by the event and its dramatizations, by such artists as Hiroshige, Yoshitora, Kuniteru, and Kuniyoshi.